Strong Storms Splinter Trees, Cause Damage in Alabama

MOBILE, Ala. (AP) — Storms that moved across the Deep South early Wednesday knocked down trees and caused other scattered damage in Alabama before prompting tornado warnings in Georgia.

No injuries or deaths were reported, but a tornado watch remained in effect for dozens of counties in south Georgia, northern Florida and the the southeastern corner of Alabama.

West of Mobile, part of the roof of Joe Clarke’s house was ripped off moments after the National Weather Service issued a tornado warning.

“We got in the hallway and it was over. It lasted 10 seconds,” Clarke told WKRG-TV. “You hear the rush, the wind, stuff hitting the windows. By the time we got into the living area, my wife was calling her mom. It was over.”

The Storm Prediction Center said there also were reports of damage along the Georgia line in Barbour County, where trees were knocked down and at least one home was reported hit. Images shared on social media showed a truck overturned and twisted metal at a business in Clayton.

It was not clear immediately whether damage was caused by strong, straight-line winds or twisters. But forecasters issued multiple tornado warnings in the Florida Panhandle and southwestern Georgia as the storms moved eastward.

Storms were moving across parts of the Panhandle where hundreds of residents were forced to evacuate over the weekend because of wildfires around Panama City, Florida, but it was not clear whether the area would get enough rain to douse the blazes.

The storms were associated with a cold front moving across the Southeast, forecasters said. Light snow is possible as far south as southern Mississippi on Saturday, according to the weather service.